Newbury and Warwick share the spotlight on this Saturday’s ITV Racing broadcast but all the best races are coming from the Berkshire track, including the Grade 2 Denman Chase (2.25), Grade 2 Game Spirit Chase (3.00) and the £87,219-to-the-winner William Hill Hurdle (3.35).
Selections for the first and last of those races feature among our best bets for the televised action.
ITV Racing Tips – Saturday February 8
1.50 Newbury – Haiti Couleurs to win @ 7/2
2.25 Newbury – Hitman to win @ 7/2
3.35 Newbury – Williethebuilder to win (each-way) @ 33/1
Bet on the latest horse racing odds at Betzone
Prolific top weight has mileage in his mark with form well franked
The William Hill Top Price Guarantee Handicap Hurdle (1.50) looks a competitive affair but there’s no getting away from the claims of Rebecca Curtis’ HAITI COULEURS on his return to hurdles, despite his 12 stone burden.
Victorious in four of his last five runs, the eight-year-old could well have improvement left to come having raced just five times over hurdles to date. The form of his recent exploits over fences has been working out nicely enough to suggest he could remain ahead of his mark over timber as well.
Haiti Couleurs beat subsequent Cheltenham winner Moon D’Orange into fourth on his most recent outing, while he slammed Uncle Bert by 18 lengths the time before that, with that rival taking out a big handicap hurdle two runs later.
Curtis’ gelding also won his last two starts over hurdles on heavy and soft ground towards the back end of last season and looks to have been found a decent opportunity to continue his streak by his shrewd trainer on similar going this Saturday.
Tip: 1.50 Newbury – Haiti Couleurs to win @ 7/2
Dual Denman Chase runner-up can go one better in weaker renewal
The Grand National weights will be released next week and that’s more than enough reason to take on the Aintree-bound, Paul-Nicholls-trained favourite Bravemansgame in the Denman Chase (2.25).
Opposing the 10-year-old are a field full of horses that haven’t won a lot in recent times so it could pay to side with the same yard’s HITMAN, who has been second in the last two runnings of this race.
He found only the ill-fated multiple Grade 1 winner Shishkin too good in last year’s running and can go one better this time around with no rival of that quality lining up against him.
Tip: 2.25 Newbury – Hitman to win @ 7/2
Sole runner for handicap hurdle supremos is sneaking under the radar
The Skelton yard have been the best handicap hurdle target training team in the game in recent years so the eye is instantly drawn to WILLIETHEBUILDER, their sole runner in the William Hill Hurdle (3.35).
Last year trainer Dan and jockey brother Harry teamed up to finish second with L’Eau Du Sud, who was sent off at 28/1 having been pulled up the time before. This time around the capable Kielan Woods is entrusted with going one better aboard another challenger whose recent form reads PU.
Winner of a low-key Ayr handicap on his previous start (winner has won a £40k handicap hurdle since), the six-year-old has other decent form to his name, having finished a good fifth in a competitive Cheltenham handicap hurdle behind the re-opposing Go Dante off a 5lbs lower mark in December 2024.
It’s hard to believe a yard peerless in these affairs would pitch him in here without a feeling that he’s a lot better than his current BHA rating of 130.
Tip: 3.35 Newbury – Williethebuilder to win (each-way) @ 33/1
